The hand-warming device is designed to help collect high-quality blood samples from a fingertip
Babson Handwarmer helps in collecting blood samples from a fingertip. (Credit: Business Wire)
Healthcare technology company Babson Diagnostics has developed Babson Handwarmer, a hand-warming device to support the collection of capillary blood samples.
A new addition to the Texas-based firm’s BetterWay blood testing ecosystem, the hand-warming device will help to collect high-quality blood samples from a fingertip.
Babson Diagnostics worked with the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin to create ideas for a hand warmer.
The healthcare technology company intended to develop a product that is simple to use in a retail environment and has an ergonomic design.
Babson Handwarmer was designed to provide simultaneous hand warming while allowing for easy finger access without obstruction.
The blood testing solutions developer conducted a validation study with employees of pharmacy partners using the prototype device to ensure compliance with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.
The FDA has listed the Babson Hand Warmer as a Class II medical device, while Texas has granted Babson Diagnostics a license to manufacture and distribute medical devices.
Babson Diagnostics research and development vice president Roy Barr said: “The Babson Hand Warmer supports blood collection from the finger, providing simultaneous warming of the hand with collection to create a repeatable and more pleasant blood testing experience for the customer.
“The device is another example of how BetterWay is putting the needs of the customer first.”
BetterWay was developed via a strategic relationship between Babson and Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD).
It advances blood testing by combining BD’s collection device, the BD MiniDraw Capillary Collection System, with Babson Diagnostics’ proprietary sample preparation and laboratory technologies.
The BetterWay blood testing ecosystem, scheduled for commercial debut this year, uses a pea-sized amount of blood drawn from a finger to provide medically correct results. This makes the blood testing simpler and more accessible, the healthcare technology company said.